Biography

02/19/1800 - 06/20/1888

Judge Joseph M Sterrett (Whig21) Crawford and Erie Counties, 1837-1841

Early Life:

Judge Joseph M Sterrett born February 19, 1800, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, son of James and Anna McKnight Sterrett; moved,  Erie Pennsylvania, 1807; common school education; newspaper apprentice; returned, Erie Pennsylvania, 1819; founded, Erie Gazette, 1820; married Catherine Riblet, 1824, children, Mary Ann Sterrett Truesdail, Jane B. Sterrett Wallace, Charles James Sterrett, George Sterrett; Erie County commissioner, 1829; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1837-1841; appointed, Erie County Associate Judge, 1849-1854; Erie Postmaster, 1861-1869; United States Revenue Commissioner, Erie Judicial District; died, June 20, 1888, (aged 88–89) Erie County, Pennsylvania; interment, Erie Cemetery, Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania.  

Early Career:

Newspaper apprentice, Erie Northern Sentinel, Mercer Western Press, Hagerstown (Maryland) Torchlight, Frederick (Maryland) Star of Federalism, Baltimore American, Carlisle Volunteer.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Erie County commissioner, 1829.

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21^st district, Crawford and Erie Counties, 1837-1841.

Appointed, Governor William Freame Johnston, Erie County Associate Judge, 1849-1854.

Erie Postmaster, 1861-1869.

United States Revenue Commissioner, Erie Judicial District.

Legacy:

Known as “Old Reliable” at the time of passing, oldest journalist, Pennsylvania.

Cited:

Buffalo Morning Express (Buffalo, New York) Sunday, June 24, 1888, page 14.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5483835/joseph-m-sterrett